Essi Avellan: Deep, bright orange color. Full, mellow coffee nose. Clearly aged on the palate, with honey and dried fruit rather than anything fresh. Still good energetic bubbles and fruit. Mature but no hurry: will be enjoyable for a long time. 19

Simon Field: Child of a great year, this example is showing considerable class and pedigree. Tobacco, praline, and rosehip syrup are all noted in a palate profile that is amazingly energetic and fresh despite its age yet that demonstrates all the virtues of controlled aging with great aplomb. They say rosé Champagne has only been taken seriously recently; this very serious and still supremely versatile wine calls this into question. 18

Tom Stevenson: The last wine in the tasting—a tasting that was culminating with the oldest vintages, and my expectations were great, only to be dashed. Not that this is a poor wine, but it is thin and lacking finesse compared to the previous four Champagnes. 16